This invention relates generally to delivery devices for particulate mixes such as poultry feed and the like, and more particularly concerns apparatus for positively creating a uniform, steady flow of material from a storage bin to a conveyor.
Modern poultry or livestock feeding operations deliver precise amounts of particulate feed mixes to consuming poultry from large, remotely located storage bins. Conventionally, a feed conveyor is located under such a bin to carry the needed feed to the poultry. When a large quantity of feed is stored in a storage bin, the feed can become packed and stick or bridge across a bin delivery or exhaust opening. When this happens, little or no feed is delivered to the underlying conveyor and downstream apparatus.
To overcome this problem, a number of positively acting bin unloading mechanisms have been proposed. Two such proposals are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,223,290 and 3,508,670, but apparently the devices suggested there have not met with universal commercial acceptance.
It is an object of this invention to provide a low cost, positively-acting device which will encourage a positive flow of feed from a storage bin to an underlying feed conveyor even when feed is packed within the bin. A related object is to provide a commercially attractive, positively acting bin unloader which will deliver feed to the underlying conveyor even when the feed has been subjected to extreme packing and bridging conditions.
Another object is to provide feed delivery-insuring apparatus which encourages feed flow and movement along the bin sides, so as to polish the bin sides and discourage feed bridging action within the bin to the maximum extent possible. A related object is to provide apparatus which will encourage this feed flow along the bin sides so as to encourage the movement and dispensation of bin feed located along those bin sides, thereby eliminating or discouraging the stagnation of feed located adjacent the bin sides and the consequent possibility of feed spoilage within the bin.
Yet another object is to provide feed delivery-insuring apparatus which positively engages or attacks packed feed, positively dislodges it, and positively discourages subsequent re-packing or re-bridging as the feed moves toward the conveyor.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.